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Frequently Asked Questions

HomeWarming can help many Nova Scotians save money on heating bills, feel more comfortable year-round, and reduce their carbon footprint. It might sound too good to be true, but if you qualify, it really isn’t. We’re sure you have some questions, so check out these FAQs.

HomeWarming is offered by Efficiency Nova Scotia and Clean Foundation as part of a broad, province-wide initiative to provide energy efficient upgrades to income-qualified homeowners.

HomeWarming is proudly sponsored by Nova Scotia Power and the Province of Nova Scotia.

Nova Scotia Power volunteered to fund $37 Million for a 10-year, low-income energy efficiency program for electrically heated homes to be delivered by the Clean Foundation. The cost of the program will be a charitable contribution by the company, and not recovered from ratepayers. This support started in 2015.

The Province of Nova Scotia continues to fund non-electric low-income energy efficiency programs, delivered by Efficiency Nova Scotia. The Province is committed to helping the more than 22,000 low-income homeowners lower their energy bills through this investment.

So far, over 11,000 households have benefited through HomeWarming and previous low-income programs.

If we discover that upgrades like draft-proofing and insulation will substantially help substantially reduce your heating and power bills as well as make you feel more comfortable at home, we’ll install the upgrades at no cost to you. (Seriously – if you qualify, it’s free and really not too good to be true.)

Every home gets recommendations based on a comprehensive energy audit. We look for the best combination of energy-saving upgrades.

Plus, every house is unique. For example, an improved heating system is not a good recommendation if a house has very poor insulation and requires draft-proofing; no need to spend your hard-earned money heating the backyard, so we focus on these improvements first.

And we do not have an unlimited budget, so we do have to make some hard decisions – there are participants and homes that might get priority over others.

There is no obligation on your part to move ahead with recommended upgrades. If possible, within the confines of the program and the energy efficiency analysis, we will work with you to explore changes to the suggested plan.

We understand some people may not be happy with what we can offer. We do not have an unlimited budget, so we do have to make some hard decisions – there are participants and homes that might get priority over others.

Not at this time. We recognize that many Nova Scotians living on a lower income are renters. However, rental situations are complex as we want to ensure savings are passed on to renters, for example. We are exploring rental options and will update the program if deemed possible.

This is a difficult question to answer, as every house is unique. The age of the home is also an important factor – newer homes tend to be better insulated, while older homes can have limited, or no, insulation. That’s why it is a challenge to give an average amount you will save after participating in HomeWarming.

However, many homes see their EnerGuide ratings improve substantially, and many homes have become 30 percent more energy efficient – or even higher. Many report saving on their bills, and say they feel warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.

These figures are adjusted each year and based on Statistics Canada’s before-tax low-income qualification figures. While we acknowledge that these don’t always encompass the full range of situations that people find themselves in, we need to use consistent eligibility criteria.

You might also want to check out the Heating Assistance Rebate Program (HARP). It helps with the cost of home heating for low-income Nova Scotians who pay for their own heat. Rebates range from $100 to $200.

HomeWarming is targeted at homeowners in Nova Scotia who are living on a low income. If you qualify, we work with you to determine the best energy efficient upgrades for your home – and we have them installed at no cost to you.

Yes. HomeWarming is built on previous low-income energy efficiency programs run by Efficiency Nova Scotia and Clean Foundation. From 2006 to 2014, over 7,000 homes received energy efficiency upgrades.

The program known as HomeWarming started under that name in late 2014.

Are you eligible?

Clean Foundation and Efficiency Nova Scotia offer low-income homeowners free energy efficiency improvements that can help them feel more comfortable while reducing heating and power bills. And these upgrades are provided at no-cost thanks to the generous support of Nova Scotia Power and the Government of Nova Scotia. Why? Because a house is a structure. A home is warm.

Contact Us

We’re ready to help.

You can speak confidentially with a Service Advisor about your eligibility by calling HomeWarming at 1-877-434-2136 (toll free) or by filling in the form. Intake will be completed by Efficiency Nova Scotia to provide an easy process for all applicants.